Activision Blizzard Joins TIGA

TIGA has announced that industry giant Activision Blizzard has joined TIGA, the UK’s videogame trade association that has been lobbying hard for industry tax relief here in the UK.
Activision has two development studios here in the UK Bizarre Creations who worked on Project Gotham Racing and Blur as well as Leamington Spa based FreeStyleGames better known for work on Guitar Hero and DJ Hero.
In a statement released by Activision’s Executive Vice President and Chief Public Policy Officer George Rose, he explained that Acvitision Blizzard has joined TIGA to get behind their lobbying for tax relief here in the UK.
“At Activision Blizzard we are extremely supportive of TIGA’s campaign to secure Games Tax Relief for the UK development community. The UK has one of the most talented and creative workforces anywhere in the industry. The introduction of Games Tax Relief in the UK will be a game changer. It will make the UK a significantly more attractive place to invest in games development. Games Tax Relief will lead to increased investment, more job creation and power economic growth. However, if Games Tax Relief is not introduced then the UK will remain at a real disadvantage in comparison to other territories as a location for inward investment. Without Games Tax Relief the UK games industry will not fulfil its potential.”
TIGA’s Richard Wilson was extremely pleased to have the backing of one of the world’s largest publishers behind the campaign adding:
“The support of Activision Blizzard is a huge boost for TIGA and for our campaign to secure Games Tax Relief. Brian Ward, Activision Publishing’s Senior Vice President, Worldwide Studios, and I have already met with MPs in the UK to press home the case for Games Tax Relief. Our message is simple: back Games Tax Relief and benefit from more investment and more jobs in a high technology, export oriented industry, or risk investment drifting away to other, more forward thinking countries.”
The Conservatives who now share power with the Liberal Democrats had stated they would introduce tax relief when they came to power but this was subsequently shelved in the recent budget.